The invention relates to an open roof construction for a vehicle having an opening in its fixed roof. The open roof construction includes a stationary part to be fixed to the roof, which includes at least one guide rail extending in the longitudinal direction of the open roof construction. An adjustable closure element is supported by said stationary part. The closure element is adjustable between a closed position, in which it closes the roof opening, and an open position, in which it releases the roof opening at least partially. An operating mechanism supports said closure element. The operating mechanism includes a slide which is capable of sliding movement in said guide rail and which is of U-shaped cross-section with vertical walls.
An open roof construction of this kind is described in Dutch patent application No. 1009773, for example. In said open roof construction, the U-shaped slide is bent of one metal sheet, wherein the vertical walls are interconnected by means of a horizontal connecting web in at least a number of places. One drawback of said slide is the fact that the resistance of the vertical walls to lateral bending forces is relatively small, since the bending line is relatively weak at the location of the bend to the connecting webs. This may result in lateral play between the slide and the guide rail directly from the outset or with the lapse of time. Likewise, other strength problems may develop.
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved open roof construction of the type referred to in the introduction.
According to a first aspect of the invention, the open roof construction includes a slide made up of two interconnected parts, with each part being L-shaped in section in at least two places. The section comprises two legs, one leg of which is formed by the respective vertical wall of the slide, and wherein the bending lines between the legs of the L-shaped sections are staggered in said two places, preferably by a distance equal to the thickness of the material of the L-shaped parts.
As a result of the position of the above-described bending lines, none of the vertical walls has a continuous bending about which the entire vertical wall can bend when a bending load is being exerted thereon. This increases the flexural strength of the vertical walls considerably, thus enhancing the resistance of the entire slide construction to deformation.
According to another aspect of the invention, the vertical walls of the U-shaped slide include sliding members of plastic material, which mate with, preferably, the edges of associated horizontal flanges of the guide rail. Preferably, the sliding members are spaced from the connecting web of the U-shaped slide, whilst the sliding members advantageously mate with the edges of the at least substantially horizontal flanges of the guide rail in the form of an extruded section that project furthest inwards.
Preferably, the dimensions of the slide in a transverse direction are selected so that the distance between the sliding surfaces of the sliding members is slightly larger than the distance between the opposite flanges of the guide rail. In this manner, the sliding members will fit between said flanges of the guide rail without play. Especially if the sliding members mate with an edge of the flanges, the sliding members will wear quickly to such a degree that they will guide the slide in a lateral direction without any play. When the sliding members are disposed some distance away from the connecting webs of the U-shaped slide, the vertical walls of the slide can be pressed slightly together upon being introduced into the guide rail. In this manner, the sliding members can be placed between the flanges of the guide rail with some bias. When the sliding members are formed relatively high on the vertical walls, they will also prevent the vertical walls from bending outwards, for example in the case of outward bending forces which can develop as a result of attempts to break into the vehicle by prying open the closure element. Thus, the sliding members contribute towards the stability and the security of the operating mechanism.